Registration of NGOs

1. Present Practice

• Submission of relevant Documents with the application form provided by the NGO Secretariat
• Submission of the recommendation of department of External Resources by the applicant
• Checking of the Application form along-with other information and getting them corrected if there is anything incorrect after discussion with forerunners of the Organization as a facilitator
• Forwarding of the application form along with other information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense
• Obtaining the recommendation from the two ministries
• Register/reject the registration, on the recommendations provided by the two ministries
• Issue of registration certificate

2. Proposed Changes

Amendment to the present Registration Application Form

3. Amendment to the Act and Issuing New Regulations

Levels of NGO Registration

• Registration of any NGO registered in any country outside Sri Lanka
• Registration of any local NGO receiving foreign funds for it’s operations
• Registrations of any local NGO which operates activities in more than one administrative district

• attends registration of following NGOO
• Any NGO registration considered under any of the above categories under National Secretariat shall not be registered, However any recommendation if required shall be given
• Shall register any NGO which operates it’s activities within the boundaries of an Administrative District

• attends registration of following NGOO
• Shall not register any of the NGOO considered under above two categories
• Shall register any NGO which operates activities only within the boundaries of the Divisional Secretariat Area

Any organization formed by a group persons on a voluntary basis) Voluntary participation Shall be non-governmental Shall be not for profit, shall not share the profit or surplus earned through fundraising activities among it’s members Shall be dependant on public contributions, charities, grants, payable by government or donations local or foreign in carrying out its functions Shall not be self-serving in aims and related values Constitution and other activities shall be within legal framework and social values of the country Has as its main objectives, the provision of such relieves and services as are necessary for the mentally retarded or physically disabled ,the poor the sick, the orphans and destitute, and the provision of relief to the needy in times of disaster Shall submit the recommendation of the erd [National level] Positive recommendations from M/Foreign Affairs and M/Defense is required [National level]

Issue of Visa, pending registration to expatriates Issue of recommendation to open bank accounts to exchange in Sri Lankan currencies

Issue of recommendation letters to any line ministry of government agency to sign a MOU with the NGO and commence the operations Providing advisory services for the NGOs to overcome the difficulties they encountered with smooth operations of the NGOs

Issue of recommendation letters to Expatriates to obtain residence visas

Issue of recommendation letters for the NGOs obtain Tax waivers

Assist in any other mean to run their projects Provide advisory services whenever they are facing problems

• Obtaining the draft MOU from the NGO
• Checking the draft in the office and getting it corrected
• Forwarding the draft to the Ministry of Finance [Fiscal Policy Division] and to the line ministry under which the subject matter of the NGO is administered for observations and recommendations
• Forwarding of recommended MOU to the Secretary of the Ministry

• Establishment of District Cordinating committees chaired by the District Secretaries/ District Government Agents and activating them to monitor the activities at District level. More Details
• Collection of information at various phases of projects implemented by NGOs at Divisional Secretariats level
• Obtain the participation from the NGOs for the projects proposed by Divisional Secretariats for implementation
• Conducting a comprehensive survey to form a database to commence strict monitoring at district level

• Printing of the NGO Directory and CBO Directory
• Printing of NGO Project Directory
• Conducting of Capacity Building programmes to provide skills required for officials in the NGO Secretariat
• Conducting of Capacity Building Programmes for the staff of the NGOs
• Site visits to observe activities of NGOs at the field by the officials of the NGO Secretariat

• Sections, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 In the Act no 30 of 1980 are Applicable For Legal Action Against NGO's